Spar NI grows food for later strategy with new range of local winter warmers

Spar Northern Ireland has strengthened its commitment to local sourcing and convenience innovation with the launch of 18 new products, in partnership with local suppliers.

The launch of the range marks the retailer’s intention to grow its presence across the ‘food for later’ convenience category, “delivering a range of quick, quality meal solutions for lunch and dinner, alongside limited-edition seasonal products for Christmas,” it said.

Working with Big Pot Co. in Cookstown, under Spar’s The Kitchen brand, four different 400g soups have been developed, ideal for a quick lunch or easy dinner.

Next, in collaboration with Crust & Crumb in Co. Fermanagh, three limited tear and share Christmas-themed breads will launch alongside three Spar-branded pizzas.

Finally, from Cloughbane Farm Foods in Dungannon, The Kitchen range has been extended to include three family-sized, straight-to-oven meals – with Lasagne, Cottage Pie and Chicken & Broccoli Bake.

In addition to the new lines, Spar NI’s development chef, Carl Johannesson, has produced five new crispy chicken products to add to The Kitchen range. The lines can all be quickly cooked in the air fryer and tap into the growing ‘fakeaway’ trend offering convenient, crowd-pleasing options for students and busy households alike.

Steven Kennedy, trading manager at Henderson Wholesale, said: “Our new products showcase the best of Northern Ireland’s producers, working hand in hand with our local trading team to provide outstanding meal solutions for our retailers and shoppers.”

Retailers will also benefit from an integrated marketing campaign to support the wider consumer-focused launch of the new products, including POS materials, digital activity, outdoor and radio advertising to drive awareness and sales.